Saturday, March 1, 2014

I am usually on to do the First Saturday Mass as part of the Helpers' of God's Precious Infants Mass at Holy Name Church in Cincinnati's Mount Auburn neighborhood. Just down the street from Murder, Inc. (Planned (un)Parenthood), I say Mass then hear confessions while the faithful process down to the abortuary to pray the Rosary for an end to abortion and a greater respect for life.

The first reading from St. James reflects the power of prayer, and that call to pray always. Citing the power of Elijah's prayer, James calls us all to that prayer of the righteous which God almost seems powerless to resist. (because hearts are so in tune with what He is already doing...) Intercessory prayer is something that I think so many find easy to pray, because we have come to have a natural disposition towards the other which allows us the freedom to lift that other person up, etc.

With this concept of intercessory prayer, we turn to the Gospel passage of Jesus drawing children to himself and lifting up that simplicity of childlike prayer as an example for us all to follow.

(remember, this is a Mass specifically for the Pro-Life movement...)

It struck me that Our Lord always calls the marginalized and shunned closest to himself. In His public ministry, he sought out those who were otherwise lost and who desired to come to know Him better. Is there anyone more shunned and dismissed by society today than the children who do not even get the chance to take a breath? Whose lives are snuffed out before they are even given the chance?

Certainly, in His love, Our Lord draws them to Himself.

Combining the two passages, then, would it not stand to reason that this unfortunately all too large of a group of children is now interceding before God's throne in heaven to stop the scourge of abortion and to change the hearts of those who are in the abortion industry? Is this a possible reason we have seen so many conversions over the last few years?

We must keep in mind that this is a spiritual battle, and the army of prayer on our side is growing and getting stronger.

Welcome!

I am Fr. Kyle Schnippel and currently am the Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. I believe there is a tide of vocations to the priesthood and religious life waiting to happen, and as the faithful continue to grow in their own pursuit of holiness, these vocations will flourish.